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29TH ANNUAL GEORGE WITTENBORN BOOK AWARDS PRESENTED
Indianapolis, Indiana – On April 17, 2009 the 29th Annual George Wittenborn Memorial Book Awards were presented at the annual conference of the Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA). Established in 1980 to honor
the memory of premier New York City art book dealer and publisher George Wittenborn, the award is given each year to North American art publications which represent the highest standards of content, documentation, layout, and format in art publishing. One
outstanding book published in 2008 was selected to receive the 29th Annual George Wittenborn Memorial Book Award, and a second was selected for Honorable Mention.
2008 Wittenborn Book Award WINNER:
Thomas Krens; Alexandra Munroe; Cai Guo-Qiang
New York : Guggenheim Museum ; New York : Distributed by D.A.P./Distributed Art Publishers, 2008.
Honorable Mention:
Elaine Julia Wright ; Art Services International
Alexandria, Va. : Art Services International ; Hanover : Distributed by University Press of New England 2008
Members of the 29th Annual George Wittenborn Memorial Book Award are: Kim Collins, Robert W. Woodruff Library, Emory University (chair), Kathleen L. List, Verman Kimbrough Memorial Library,
Ringling College of Art & Design, Natalia J Lonchyna, Art Reference Library, North Carolina Museum of Art, Nedda Ahmed, Georgia State University Library, and Sandra J. Still, Robert W. Woodruff Library, Emory University.
ARLIS/NA, founded in 1972, has nearly 1,100 members in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and overseas. It is the only professional organization in North America devoted exclusively to the concerns of the art information specialists.
Convocation Presentation
Cai Guo-Qiang (surname pronounced tsai,given name pronounced gwo chang).
Chosen from over 100 entries. This retrospective exhibition catalogue is the most comprehensive survey to date of this truly international artist, covering art from all mediums spanning two decades of creative production.
Cai is a conceptual, multimedia artist, architect, curator, and, dare I say, a community organizer and a citizen of the world.
He is best known for use of gun powder and his explosion events, highlighted at the 2008 Beijing Olympic opening and closing ceremonies.
The committee was impressed with the design of this publication.
The spectacular cover illustrates the exhibition copy of Inopportune: Stage One(2004), comprised of nine real cars pierced with blinking light tubes that simulate the trajectory of a car-bomb explosion tumbling upwards through the atrium.
The page layout also included expert use of white space and ingenious use of images to convey ephemeral works. We also noted the meticulous scholarship and the collaborative nature of this effort to coordinate international scholars
to create a critical framework. After the lengthy acknowledgement page there is a two page spread listing 127 individuals on the project team responsible for the exhibition and the catalogue.
The publication has 316 pages and over 230 illustrations. It includes 4 scholarly essays with extensive notes and a catalogue divided into 5 sections: early works, gunpowder drawings, explosive events, installations, and social projects.
The committee was also impressed with the scholarly apparatuses. There is an extensive anthology of writings by and about Cai Guo-Qiang. It includes illustrations of the articles and book covers and many writings were translated into
English for the first time in this catalogue, which will be invaluable to future scholars. They also have a chronology of personal, political, social, and geographic references which also includes photos and excerpts from a 2007 interview by Alexandra Munroe
and the artist. Finally they have a comprehensive exhibition history and bibliography.
In conclusion, true winner in every category and an honor to the Wittenborn stable.
The committee also awarded an Honorable mention and the honorable mention goes to…….
Muraqqa' Imperial Mughal albums from the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin Elaine Julia Wright ; Art Services International; Alexandria, Va. : Art Services International ; Hanover : Distributed by University Press of New England 2008
This 528 page fully illustrated color catalogue was published by Art Services International and includes 3 scholarly essays and detailed entries for each work in the show.